Want a Rounder, Lifted Butt? Erin Stern’s Go-To Barbell Glute Routine Will Get You There

Two-time Figure Olympia Erin Stern wants to ensure her fans get their bodies summer-ready. In a recent YouTube video, Stern revealed her ultimate barbell glute workout to build the booty without special equipment. 

“If you’ve been to any big gym, you’ll see specialized equipment that targets certain areas of the glutes and will help you build your ideal booty. Now, if you don’t have access to that, that’s not a problem.” 

Erin Stern’s dedication to fitness has earned her success both on the competitive bodybuilding stage and off. From dominating in the Figure Olympia with two title wins to proving her adaptability in the Bikini division with a victory at the 2022 Republic of Texas Pro, Stern is a force to be reckoned with. 

Utilizing her profound knowledge of training and nutrition, Stern has also become a published author of a cookbook. Additionally, Erin Stern has taken to social media, providing her fans with targeted workout routines, motivational tips, and her tried-and-true training practices. 

2x Figure Olympia Erin Stern Shares Ultimate Barbell Glute Building Workout

Erin Stern’s expertise in exercise allows her to zero in on a particular muscle group, even the trickiest of areas. In a recent YouTube video, Erin Stern focused on working the glutes, but instead of relying on specialized equipment, she is using just a barbell.

Stern’s Barbell Glute-Building Workout 

• Sumo Deadlift
• Feet-Elevated Split Squat
• Good Morning
• Frog Pump

Sumo Deadlift

Placing your feet one to two times shoulder width apart, Stern says to think about keeping the bar close to the shins throughout each repetition.

“For this exercise, you want your feet at between one to two times shoulder-width apart and to turn the feet out to about a 45-degree angle.”

“You want to actively think about pushing your knees apart as you perform this exercise. You also want to think about keeping the bar as close to your shins as possible as you pull the barbell up. Keep your chest up and grasping the bar with an overhand grip.”

Feet-elevated Split Squat

Using weight plates to create a deficit and enhance the range of motion, Stern provides insight into how to recruit the glute muscles more than the hamstrings during this exercise.

“You want to create a deficit here. The idea is that front foot, or that front leg is your working leg, and that back leg is simply there to help spot you.”

“It’s really important for glute recruitment, it’s going to help to really hit the glutes, especially if you’re pushing your weight through the heel. You can also experiment with your upper body positioning.”

She cautions that standing too upright could result in the quads getting more work than the glutes.

“Standing a bit more upright may hit the quads a bit more. As always, when you’re switching sides, make sure you’re performing the exercise the same from right to left. So you have the same span and distance from the working leg and non-working leg.”

Good Morning

During good mornings, Stern advises lifters to place the bar across the traps. Then, grab the barbell with an overhand grip, keeping the elbows tight with a soft knee bend.

“Now, the good morning is also a hip hinge exercise,” says Stern. “Placing the bar on the back changes where the force is coming from. I want you to think about placing the bar right across your traps, grabbing the bar with an overhand grip, keeping your elbows in nice and tight, and creating a cradle for this barbell.”

Also of note: she says to keep your feet shoulder-width apart.

“You want your feet at about shoulder-width apart. Soft knee, flat back, and as you lower the barbell, as you bring your upper body down, think about pushing those hips out” Stern said. 

Frog Pump

For an all-out finisher, Stern gives tips on executing frog pumps. She says to aim for as many reps as possible.

“This is a burnout. So, you’re going to do one to three sets of this exercise and you’re going to do as many reps as possible. I typically will use a little bit more weight but the gym where I’m training does not have a bar pad.”

During each repetition, she says to pull the heels in close to your glutes with the soles of your feet touching each other. She credits this specific exercise as ideal for growing the upper glutes.

“I want you to think about pulling your heels in close to your glutes and almost having the soles of your feet touch [each other]. So, you’re really going to hit the upper glutes with this exercise, the abductors as well, glute medius, this is excellent for really building the upper glutes.”

To avoid overextending during the movement, Stern shares that some people like to tuck their chin in.

“You can also have good results by tucking your chin just a bit because this can help keep you from overextending on the exercise. So this is a very small range of motion.” 

This isn’t the first time Erin Stern has walked her fans through a glute-focused workout. In the past, Stern shared her go-to leg and glute training routine that utilized supersets. She has also provided a cable workout that was ‘faster paced,’ revealing that she prefers this method for its versatility. 

“The reason I love cables so much is because it gives you that freedom, it gives you that range of motion that you would get from free weights but you get variable resistance so you’re able to change where the load or the weight is coming from.”  

Regardless of your fitness goals, Erin Stern has a training routine that will work for any individual and their body type. As a successful bodybuilder, Stern’s methods have been proven successful at the highest levels, which is a testament to her invaluable input. Will you be giving her ultimate barbell glute-building workout a try?

RELATED: 2x Figure Olympia Erin Stern Shares Step By Step Tutorial on How To Perform Kettlebell Swings

To watch Erin Stern’s full video, click the link below: 

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